Scripps Reports - Glucose effect on Synovial tissue IGF expression

INTRODUCTION

There is some clinical evidence to suggest that 10% dextrose injected into a joint may have a therapeutic effect on osteoarthritis. We hypothesized that the increased sugar concentration may stimulate the synovium cells to secrete anabolic growth factors that would have a therapeutic effect on degenerating cartilage. To test this hypothesis we harvested synovial tissue from patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty and exposed it to different concentrations of glucose. We selected insulin-like growth factor as the most likely to respond to glucose and measured gene expression as well as protein release in the culture media.

This phase was to provide proof of concept for a larger more definitive study that would monitor changes in normal and arthritic cartilage co-cultured with synovial tissue....Read full report.